Published on July 22nd, 2019 | by Harmonist staff

The Vivid Inner Worlds Of Animals

By Phil Pruitt and Chance Seales, originally published at Newsy.

As scientists learn more about the way animals think, are they finding more human qualities? Or is it just anthropomorphizing?

“An animal’s eyes have the power to speak a great language.”

That’s from philosopher Martin Buber. If you’ve ever looked into a dog’s eyes, you’ve seen it. There’s something there, whether happy or sad or worried — all part of that something that appears to be consciousness and emotion. Despite groans of anthropomorphism, a growing number of scientists and writers say it’s not your imagination. Animals have a far deeper internal life than we’ve known.

The Cambridge Declaration of Consciousness, which is signed by a group of scientists, is a starting point. It states: “The weight of evidence indicates that humans are not unique in possessing the neurological substrates that generate consciousness. Nonhuman animals, including all mammals and birds, and many other creatures, including octopuses, also possess these neurological substrates.” In short: we’re in good, conscious company.

This article was originally published at Newsy, and is partially reproduced here without the permission of the authors, who are not affiliated with this website or its views.